diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 7376c369..c631a225 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -230,6 +230,10 @@ neutron_galera_port: "{{ galera_port | default('3306') }}"
 ### Oslo Messaging
 ###
 
+# RabbitMQ
+
+neutron_oslomsg_heartbeat_in_pthread: "{{ oslomsg_heartbeat_in_pthread | default(False) }}"
+
 # RPC
 
 neutron_oslomsg_rpc_host_group: "{{ oslomsg_rpc_host_group | default('rabbitmq_all') }}"
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/heartbeat-in-pthread-9f5fde7bfdd7d306.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/heartbeat-in-pthread-9f5fde7bfdd7d306.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3782fda0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/heartbeat-in-pthread-9f5fde7bfdd7d306.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixes a file descriptor leak which may impact services which use the
+    oslo.messaging RabbitMQ heartbeat mechanism.
diff --git a/templates/neutron.conf.j2 b/templates/neutron.conf.j2
index 023004d3..b93f4dd0 100644
--- a/templates/neutron.conf.j2
+++ b/templates/neutron.conf.j2
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ root_helper_daemon = sudo {{ neutron_bin }}/neutron-rootwrap-daemon {{ neutron_c
 # Messaging
 [oslo_messaging_rabbit]
 rpc_conn_pool_size = {{ neutron_rpc_conn_pool_size }}
+heartbeat_in_pthread = {{ neutron_oslomsg_heartbeat_in_pthread }}
 
 # Notifications
 [oslo_messaging_notifications]